Deciding whether to have your wisdom teeth (AKA third molars) removed is an important step in your lifelong oral health plan. Developmentally, most people will not have enough room available in their mouth and jaw for wisdom teeth to grow in without complications. In the majority of cases, wisdom teeth come in and begin to cause problems for the rest of your smile. Either they grow in at an angle, grow in impacted, or cause pressure due to the lack of space needed for additional teeth. The situation will be assessed by your dentist to ensure that you have all the information you need to make the best decision for the future of your smile.
Caring for Your Smile: The Benefits of Richmond’s Best Dental Team
Kaizen Dental is committed to improving your smile with each trip to our office. At the first sign of wisdom teeth movement, we will take x-rays to visually inspect the position and expected growth of your wisdom teeth. Up until the teeth have erupted from the gum line, we will be regularly monitoring the growth of these teeth for any abnormalities, impaction, or other issues that might affect your smile. While there is a chance that your wisdom teeth come in perfectly, fitting into the available excess space with proper alignment, for most people you will need to begin planning on their removal. The sooner it is done the better; as the tooth sets in your smile it can begin to affect the surrounding teeth, taking root and making removal more difficult. We recommend having your wisdom teeth removed during a break (Summer vacation being the most common for students), as that will allow you time to heal stress-free. Offering these services in-house is just one of the ways Kaizen Dental goes above and beyond to provide a superior dental experience. We also offer oral and conscious sedation for all procedures, specially for anxious patients.
With decades of experience collectively, our dental leaders are here to follow through on professional dental treatments that get you back to smiling as quickly as possible!
Information for After a Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Following your appointment, we will send you off with everything you need to know to recover and get back to full health. Your mouth will be sore as it begins to heal, and it is your goal to prevent a dry socket (loss of the protecting layer of clotted blood). In order to do so, keep an ice pack handy to reduce swelling, avoid touching the affected areas with your tongue or toothbrush, and avoid straws as sucking on a straw may lead to a dry socket. Most people recover within 5 days and have little pain, if any, after the surgery is complete.